Device for breaking bottles



Nov. l, 1938. A. R. LoFsTRAND. SR

DEVCE FOR BREAKING BOTTLES Filed Dec. 14, 1936 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for breaking bottles.

Federal laws prohibit the re-use of containers that have been lled with spirituous liquors. The most satisfactory way to insure that this provision shall be carried out is breaking the bottle in which liquor of this kind is usually sold, so that its further use becomes impossible.

With this end in View, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a device that can be employed to break bottles quickly and neatly. I n places such as restaurants and drinking establishments, the accumulation of empty bottles becomes a major problem. Therefore, the purpose of the present device is to provide means whereby bottles may be quickly broken with a minimum of effort, with no scattering of the broken pieces and with safety.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class named which is simple and sturdy in its construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and thoroughly efficient in accomplishing its purpose.

These and other objects which will become Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 2.

The device includes a tubular shank element I of the desired length and diameter, a combined abutment and shield element 2 and a combined plunger and breaking element 3.

Element I is formed from any suitable material, preferably metallic, and is provided with outer peripheral threads at one end terminal portion 4 and with outer peripheral threads at the other end terminal portion 5 thereof.

Element 2 is formed of any suitable material and includes a body 6 of arcuate cross section. The body 6 is of the desired length and Width, formed with enlarged endterminal portions 1, 8 and provided with an opening 9 intersected by the transverse and longitudinal medians thereof. The wall of opening 9 is threaded. The outer face oi body 6 has an annular boss I0 having its inner edge threaded. The threads on the inner face of boss I0 form continuations oi the threads on the Wall of opening 9. Ex-

more readily apparent as the description protending radially from the boss III and integral with the outer face of body 6 is a series of reinforcing ribs II'.

The peripheral threaded end terminal portion 4 of the element I engages with the threads on the Wall of opening 9 'and inner edge of boss I0 whereby elements I and 2 are anchored to' gether.

The element 3 includes a solid rod II of the desired length and diameter and preferably of circular cross section. Rod II is formed of any suitable material, preferably hard metal. The diameter of rod II is materially less than that of the inner diameter of element I. One end projects through opening V9 of shield 2 and is pointed as at I2. The other end terminal portion of ro-d II is fitted with a gripping member I3 which is preferably of a substantially globular form.

At its upper end terminal portion 5, tube I is provided with a cap member I4 of substantially cup-shape form whose inner periphery is screwthreaded to engage threads on the outer periphery of upper end terminal portion 5 of tube I. Cap member I4 is provided with a circular opening I5 of substantially smaller diameter than the inner diameter of tube I. The diameter of opening I5 is sufliciently larger than the diameter of rod Il to enable said rod to pass through it while preventing any substantial lateral motion of rod I I. The opening I5 .and the tube I are concentrically arranged with respect to each other.

shoulder I6 adjacent to opening I5, which shoulder acts as an abutment for one end of a spiral spring I'I. Spring I'I surrounds rod II Within tube I. At its other end spring Il abuts against a collar I8, which is concentric and integral With rod II but of substantially greater diameter. It is formed intermediate the ends of rod Il. It is of a diameter sufficiently smaller than the inner diameter of tube I to allow it to move freely vertically within the tube, but its diameter is great enough to prevent any substantial lateral motion of rod I I.

The outer face I9 of cap member I4 forms an abutment for a spiral spring 20 which surrounds the part of rod I I projecting from the upper end of tube I. At its other end, spring 20 abuts against the lower face 2| of gripping element I3.

Spring I'I in its normally expanded position acts to keep rod II extended through opening I5. In operation, tube I'I is held by one hand of the operator while with the other knob I3 is pulled The inner face of cap member I4 forms a against the action rof springII until the point I2 of rod I I is pulled through opening I into tube I. Shield 2 is then placed against the bottle 22 which it is desired to break, and knob I3'is released, thus Vallowi'ngspring I1 to force rod II out through q opening I5 with suddenforce. The sharpened Vpoint I2 of rod I I will strike the bottle with sufficient force to smasliit as indicated in dotted lines, Figure 1. Shield 2 will prevent particles of glass from flying upward, While spring will act' as a shock absorber. and will counteract to some v extent the expansive action of spring I'I.

What I claim is:-

1.7In a bottle breaking deviceLa convexo-cn-v` cave shield of'greater lengthY than width and being formed at the intersectionv of its transverse and longitudinal medians'with a boss having an opening having a threaded wall, 'ribs arranged at,"Y

right angles to each other reinforcing thefsides of the shield and connecting the same tothe Y 1 boss, a tubular casingthreaded into saidvboss, Y

a plunger providedat its inner end with a bottle breaking means for extension through said casing and shield; said plunger ofless length than'said casing, an axially apertured cap on the outer end ofthe casing and-through which extends the outer portion of said plunger, a collar on-the plunger l intermediate therend's of the latter, a plunger forcing spring within'the casingandY interposed between the collar and cap, a hand grip on the other end of the plunger, and a spring encompassing the plunger and interposed between said grip andeap.r4 d m y j Y',

J2. An apparatus'of the class described including Vakstraight solid shield for positioning and conning a bottle to prevent pieces being forced in undesired directions, said shield comprising a body unobstructed at its ends and of greater lengthv each other reinforcingthe sides of the shield and connecting same to the boss, a lengthened tubeV Aforming a shank threaded at both ends engaging f lat itsllower end'fwith said threadedrboss and its upper extremity, closed by a central perforated capl engaging thef'upper screw threads, around sharpened .rodfof less diameter than the shank providing a bottle breaking means for extension through said shield, and a collar attached to the rod'for guiding,r and operating the latter, along Y spiral expansion spring encompassing the-rodV Vabove the vcollar and Vcontacting the latter andV bearing at its top against the under side ofthe aforesaid capmvithV a short spiral spring bearing against the opposite or outer portionl ofV thecap,

encompassing the rod, an operators grip on the Y extreme upperend of the rod and de signedto engage'said lastnamed spring only When the rod ,Y

is forced downward by first named spring and forming a shock absorber therefor, the'total length of the shank being greater than the distanceV from the'grip to the topof the collar.

A ANDERS R. LOFSTRAND, se.' 

